Improvement in cars for single-track railways



T. M. RANKIN.

Cars for Single-Track Railways.

Patented March 24, 1874. v

UNITED STATES PATENT EFI-CE.

.THOMAS M. RAN-KIN, OF MODESTA, CALIFORNIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CARS FOR SINGLE-TRACK RAILWAVS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 148,846, dated March 24, 1874; application tiled' July 2, 1873.

To all whom 'it'may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS M. RANKIN, of Modesta, Stanislaus county, State of California, have invented an Improved Single-Track Railway; and I do hereby declare the following description and accompanying drawings are sutiicient to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which it most nearlyI appertains to make and use my said invention or improvement without further invention or experiment.

My invention relates to an improvement in that cla-ss of single-track railways in which a central bearing-track and two balancing side tracks are used 5 and my improvement consists in elevating the bearing-track above the level of the side tracks, and lowering th'e car-body proportionately on its bearing-wheels, so that a better balance will be preserved, and consequently the car will move with less vibration. My invention also includes a spring arrangement for mounting the balancing-wheels upon each side, so that the shock consequent on striking the side track will be relieved. Y

In order to more fully illustrate and explain my invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specitication, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of my invention. Fig. 2 is an end view. Fig. 3 is a top view.

Let A represent the single bearing-track, and B B the side balancing-tracks. The track A, I elevate to a height of two feet, (more or less,) according to Vthe gage of the outside tracks and the size of the car to be moved upon it. The side tracks B I construct along the ground at the proper distance upon each side of the track A. These side tracks may be made of wood or strap-iron, as most convenient. C is the car, which moves upon the track A; and D D, the bearing wheels', which are mounted in the middle of the car-platform. In Order to accommodate the elevated track A, these wheels have their centers and supports above the platform, so that the lower portion of their peripheries pass through a slot to the under side of the platform, as shown, thus lowering the body ot the car down almost to the bearing-track. E E are the side timbers, in which the balancing-wheels ff are mounted. rIhese side timbers I suspend from the bottom of the platform or car C by means of semielliptic springs g g g, the middles of which are rmly secured to the middle ofthe car, so that they extend transversely to the length of the car, their ends curving downward. The timbers E are secured to the Opposite ends of these semi-elliptic springs, one upon each side of the car, so that they will carry the balancingwheels f f just above the balancing-tracks B B.

It is evident that by thus constructing the tracks andcar, the motion of the car will be much steadier, owin g to the slight side motion required to bring the balancing-wheels into bearing upon the bearing-tracks. By attaching the timbers which carry the balancingwheels to the car-body by means of springs, the shock and dead-stroke of their contact with the tracks are avoided7 while the side wheels will readily pass over an obstruction on the side track without displacing the bearing-wheels.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and` desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The car C, having the bearing-wheels D D mounted with their centers labove the car-bottom, and having the side timbers E E, with their wheels f j', supported by semi-elliptic springs g g from the bottom of the car, substautially as and for the purpose above described.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal.

THOMAS M. RANKIN. [L s.] lVitnesses:

JOHN L. BOONE, C. M. RICHARDSON. 

